Dona Z. Meilach

With careful planning and proper estimating, fabricating commissioned metal gates and railings can be a lucrative endeavor. This article describes the process for designing, pricing, and creating these unique and often intricate structures based on client preferences. It includes examples of beautiful pieces constructed from copper, flat steel, and iron.

Almost every artist blacksmith learns to make small animal heads from rods and often hammers petal-like shapes into flowers. But some 'smiths go far beyond these exercises and make items that are so much larger than life that they fall into the category of expressive sculpture.

The Santa Ysabel Ranch entry arch and gates, Paso Robles, Calif.Creating an entry gate for a new housing development doesn't sound like such a tough assignment until you toss in historical references as design constraints. Using the lore and symbolism of the Chumash Indian tribe that once settled...

Fireplace screens don't have to be boring. Fireplace tools don't have to be ordinary. Re-thinking the function of fireplace screens and tools can add a new dimension to these items and attract customers like moths to a flame.

Those of you who are busy fulfilling commissions for gates, fences, staircases, and the myriad items that keep food on the table might want to look at artwork created by people whose backgrounds are based in the arts. Metalworkers often are so tuned to traditional designs that they are unaware of a swelling modern movement that could generate new ideas, new visions, and new clients.